Nope, still don't own Naruto.

'Thinking'

"Kyuubi speaking"

-Sound Effect-

Story now!

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The sound of grumbling interspersed with stomping footfalls filled the air as Naruto trudged toward Training Ground 17.

"Stupid team. Not my fault they didn't believe me. Had a letter from Baachan, but noooooo, Naruto can't possibly have gotten stronger, rassum frassum…"

The astute reader will note that Naruto was in rather less than a good mood. Such an observation would be the truth. In fact, the blond demon container would be forgiven for thinking that the world, Kami and causality itself were all against him, a myriad small events conspiring to bring him down.

The first of these had been waking up. Under normal circumstances a pleasant experience, in this case he had accidentally put a fist through a wall as he stretched, for which he was yelled at by a nurse. Taking a shower had resulted in cracked tiles, three towels torn to shreds, a tap accidentally folded closed and another scolding.

Shizune's arrival to feed him breakfast (though still embarrassing and regrettably ramenless) came as a relief, as the orderly didn't seem so gung-ho about yelling at him with the Hokage's apprentice present.

And then there was the meeting with the rest of Team 7. Managing to dress (with a little help from Shizune) and make it to their meeting place with only minor breakages (mostly doors and wall panels), he had received rather less than a warm welcome…

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"Hey guys!"

"You're late, baka!" snapped Sakura, apparently displeased that her Sasuke-ogling had been disturbed.

"Um, I was in the hospital, Sakura-chan", he said slowly. "I got hurt, remember?"

'Wow, what fellow-feeling for a teammate' he thought sarcastically.

"Can't have been too bad, Dobe, you're moving now. What's with the hair, anyway?"

Sasuke spoke, cocking an eyebrow at Naruto's new ponytail.

"See? See? Long hair gets you noticed! What did I tell you?"

"It's a side-effect of the jutsu, Teme. Jealous?"

"Hardly", muttered the Uchiha with a slight smirk. "It makes you look fruity".

"What? That's it! Lemme at 'im! I'm gonna go all Fox Fire on his gloomy arse!

I'll-"

Tuning out the enraged ranting of his tenant, Naruto was about to respond with a barb of his own when a puff of smoke heralded the arrival of Kakashi.

"Yo."

"You're late!"

'Wow, deja vu' thought Naruto as Sakura's voice rose.

"Yeah, sorry, but I got caught up in a discussion on the nature of existence and lost track of time."

"Liar!"

As with the first yell, Sakura's voice again rose alone, prompting Kakashi's brow to furl in curiosity. Not that anyone but he could tell, of course.

"Ok…anyway, sparring now. Sakura with Sasuke and Naruto with me."

As good a time as any to bring it up, Naruto supposed.

"Ano, Sensei, I have training with Team 9 today, so I gotta go".

"Hold it, Naruto" snapped Kakashi as the blond turned to leave. "I understand that you might not want to spar with me, but please don't make up poor excuses".

"Pot to kettle, meatbag…"

Gritting his teeth, Naruto forced his tone to remain light. "It's not an excuse! Some effect of that jutsu made me a lot stronger, so now I have to train with Gai-Sensei to get my control back. Baachan gave me a letter, look!"

"Get serious Dobe, that's the worst excuse you've come up with yet."

Giving the letter (carried in a thick steel box to prevent inadvertent crushings) a cursory glance, Kakashi cut off Naruto's rejoinder lazily. "Well, this all looks authentic, but Naruto is the one who forged a note for half of ANBU to receive compulsory head lice treatments."

Naruto chucked gently. 'Ah, good times. All those shiny ANBU scalps glinting in the sun…'

"-So I'll spar one round with Naruto to determine the truth".

"What?!" Naruto made one final plea for sanity. "Seriously, Kakashi-Sensei, it's a bad idea. Can't I just crush a rock or something?"

Too late. Kakashi was already rushing at him, fist arching toward his face. Giving a startled yell, Naruto swing his fist out on instinct…

-THUDWHOOSHSMACK-

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"I told him. I told all of them. But did they listen? Nooooo…"

Kakashi had eventually prized from the tree trunk in which he had been embedded and taken to hospital to have his broken ribs, torn muscles, sprains and concussion treated. Upon learning the reasons for his injuries, Tsunade had him promptly admitted to her new 'Morons Ward'.

Sakura, upon seeing her sensei temporarily tree-bound, promptly smacked Naruto about the head, resulting in bruised knuckles for her and a new appreciation for the fox's changes for him. Unfortunately, Sakura seemed to view this as a challenge, prompting her to eschew fists in favour of a tree branch, the effects of which managed to make it through his new skull.

"Explain to me why you like that pink-haired monkey, kit? Her calm, kind and forgiving nature, no doubt."

'Sometimes I wonder myself, fox' he sighed wearily. Quite often lately, in fact. Sure, it was Sakura's energy that had caught his eye to begin with, but having that energy focused on him in the form of blows and criticism wasn't quite what he'd been hoping for. A little like lightning, he thought. Beautiful and exciting from a distance, but something of a health hazard at too close a range.

"Poetic. Nice to see you can use your brain for more than keeping your skull from caving in."

'Shut it, Fox. Usagi no Tsuki called, he wants his ears back.'

Taking a vindictive pleasure from the angry spluttering of his tenant, Naruto arrived at the training ground.

'Now, if I were a pair of eyebrows with a ninja attached, where would I-?'

"WELCOME, NARUTO-KUN!"

His fists planted on his hips, Gai straitened from where he had appeared. Directly behind Naruto.

"Ah, Naruto-kun, it is good to see your youthful self! Come, let us tame your youthful energy though rigorous training! Err…"

Gai's manly spiel tapered off as he noticed that his Youthful Charge was no longer before him, having leaped into the foliage at his dramatic entry.

"Naruto-kun? Are you alright, my Youthful student?"

"Ah, I'm…fine, Gai-sensei", called Naruto from the branch he was hugging some twenty meters up. "I'll be down in a short while, but, ah, I'm going to stay here and…twitch…for a few minutes, if that's alright."

Gai beamed in relief. His Youthful pupil had not abandoned his training! Yosh!

"Quite alright, Naruto-kun! I shall go and fetch the rest of my Youthful Team, that your training may be combined with theirs into a great flame of Youthful Energy! I go!"

His final yell echoing through the trees (and causing a flock of birds to bolt from the canopy in panic), the enthusiastic jounin left at a gallop.

"That guy scares me, kit."

"Me too, fox. Me too."

Several minutes later saw Naruto out of the tree and facing Team Gai. A round of exuberant (Lee), reserved (Neji) and friendly (Tenten) greetings later, Gai got down to business.

"Yosh! The youthful Naruto-kun has, as the result of a most Unyouthful Kinjutsu used upon him, gained great powers of Physical Youth!"

'Wow, he can actually speak in capitals'.

"Scary."

"Sadly", Gai continued, "Naruto-kun's Flames of Youth are burning uncontrolled. We shall skilfully train him to tame his Youthfulness to his will!"

"Yosh! Naruto-kun's Youth will shine forth brightly! I shall assist him! If I cannot, I will walk up Hokage Monument backwards!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

Tenten, recognising the warning signs, grabbed Naruto's sleeve urgently. "Naruto! Look away if you value your sight!"

Turning just in time, the blond youth shuddered at the knife-edged shadows cast by the 'Sunset and Sea' genjutsu.

"You should thank the bun-girl, gaki. Some things even I can't heal."

Noting that the light had faded, Naruto cast Tenten a grateful smile and looked to the green-clad duo once more.

"So! The first thing we must do is ascertain the limits of your new strength and control. Naruto-kun! Please punch that training log as hard as you can!"

"Hai, Gai-sensei" replied the blond, a slight trepidation in his voice. Taking a deep breath to stifle his nerves, he drew back a fist and swung…

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"Gai-sensei, I have located the training log."

Gai tapped the mouthpiece of his headset. A most youthful device, he thought.

"Yes Neji-kun, where is it?"

There was an uncharacteristic amusement in the Hyuuga's tone as he responded. "It landed in the merchant district. No casualties, but it destroyed the latest shipment of the 'Icha-Icha' series. All pulverised."

Gai felt a moments inner conflict. It was against the ways of Youth to take pleasure in the misfortunes of another. On the other hand, the books his Eternal Rival so enjoyed were most Unyouthful. Compromising, Gai allowed himself a brief, satisfied chuckle.

Oblivious to his sensei's inner struggle, Neji continued his report. "I've explained it as a training mishap and instructed the merchant to request compensation from the Hokage's office. I'm returning now."

"Very good, Neji-kun. Over and out." Turning to an amused Tenten and rather embarrassed Naruto, the Great Green Beast smiled encouragingly.

"Do not be ashamed, Naruto-kun! We shall learn from this and go to a more distant training ground for future training! Now, let us move on to-"

"Ano, sensei?" interjected Tenten, rising to her feet. "Could we see how Naruto can handle missile-weapons?"

"Why, Tenten-chan? Wouldn't stronger just be stronger?" asked Naruto in a curious tone.

"No! Not at all!" Tenten was suddenly in his face and speaking rapidly. "Stronger fast-twitch muscles allow a greater throwing strength which in turn allows a higher velocity and flatter trajectory from the weapon leading to higher damage-potential and a longer range! It's not the same at all!"

A bead of nervous sweat rolled down the blonde's face in the silence that followed.

"OoooKaaay, I think I'll see how a kunai works out."

"She was twinkling gaki. During that weapons rant she was twinkling! Hold me…"

'There there fox. You're safe now. I'll throw the kunai and the nice weapon girl will calm down.'

"…Promise?"

Taking aim (and making sure that the target was one of the thicker logs available), the blond powerhouse drew back his arm and whipped the kunai down.

-WHIPTHUNKTHUNKTHUNKTHUNKCRACK-

'…Ok. The kunai went through the post-'

"And the tree behind it-"

'And the two trees behind that-'

"And embedded itself up to the ring in a granite boulder."

"Aah!"

Naruto sighed. 'And in the process cut a good ten centimetres off of Neji's hair as he was coming back from finding the first log. Great, I'm gonna be paying for that one later, I just know it.'

"You-! Kunai-! Hair-!"

"Ok Neji, just calm-"

"Aah!"

As the rest of Team Gai worked to calm a certain shell-shocked Hyuuga (with a distinct lack of success, if the continued horrified squawks were any indication), Gai strode over to Naruto.

"Upon observing your youthful demonstrations, I think in the future we shall avoid any further striking or throwing. No", he said as he cast a measuring look at the boy, "I have an excellent course of training for you. Yosh! Let us begin!"

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In the end, Neji was fed a 'Youthful Calming Tablet' when his nervous twitching showed no signs of fading, resulting in the unusual sight of a mellow, cheerful Hyuuga.

'I hope it wears off soon', thought the blond as he caught another of the steel spheres flicked at him by Gai. 'That toothy grin looks really creepy on him'.

"Concentrate, Naruto-kun!"

-GRENCH-

Naruto sighed as he dropped the distorted lump of steel to rest with the others around his feet.

"Maintain your youthful concentration, Naruto-kun! Your mind must rule your muscles!"

"Hai, sensei!" he replied, another ball smacking into his hand.

He had to admit, under all the eccentricities Maito Gai was good at what he did. After sending Neji into chemical calmness, the green-clad jounin had started Naruto off on control training. Naruto's task was to catch the hollow steel spheres thrown at him without either dropping or crushing them. To add a further element of difficulty to the task, he was then to throw the spheres at the one remaining training log, without either punching them into or through it. Gai had explained (upon noting Naruto's look of bafflement) that this would teach him to control both his gripping and arm strength, these being the most immediately important for social interaction.

That made sense.

The trouble was that he didn't seem to be improving. Sure, it was a bit absurd to expect leaps and bounds in the first day of training, but surely there should have been some improvement! But no. The ground around him was littered with squashed steel lumps and the training log looked as though it had faced an assault by giant termites.

Fortunately, Naruto was spared further frustration by the arrival of Shizune bearing an amused expression and a bento.

"Well, I can see you've been busy, Naruto-kun. Kakashi will probably be out of traction in a week or two, if you were wondering. Now", she gestured him closer as she unwrapped the bento, "It's time for lunch."

"An excellent idea, Shizune-san! Come, my cute students, let us revive our Flames of Youth with healthy nutrition!"

Naruto, grumbling slightly about "looking forward to being able to feed myself again", seated himself next to Shizune and looked disappointedly at the sushi, rice and omelette the lunchbox held.

"No," said Shizune firmly as he went to speak, "it's not ramen. Yes, I know you'd prefer ramen, no, you may not have any and because you need to eat better to be healthy, that's why. What?" the dark-haired medic-nin asked defensively to the astonished stares.

Gai nervously coughed into his hand. "Oh, ah, nothing, Shizune-san, nothing."

A moment of silence overtook the group, broken only by Neji's occasional whimper over how damn good his rice and pickles were.

For all his (intended) protests about the lack of rameny goodness, Naruto found that he was enjoying this lunch. The food was quite good and the weather was nice and all, but, he thought, it was the company that really made the scene. Eating with Team Seven was usually tense, dull, exhausting or a mixture of all three, depending on the circumstances. And that was when Team Seven ate together. The more common routine was for Kakashi to disappear (most likely to read his orange book), Sasuke to stalk off to brood, or eat, or brood and eat, Sakura to follow him and Naruto to eventually wander to Ichiraku's. Not, on the whole, overly enjoyable.

In many ways, Team Gai couldn't be more different. Not only did they eat together almost every day (Gai claimed it to be Youthful, apparently), but they talked!

Granted, Neji's loquaciousness may have been an after-effect of the Calming Tablet, and Tenten's topic of choice involved the words "sharp", "edge" and "stabbing" with disturbing frequency, and with Gai and Lee it was more a matter of reminding them to stop talking, but still…!

Lost in his musings, Naruto missed the curious look appearing on Tenten's face until she spoke, waving a kunai for attention.

"Hey Naruto, why is Shizune-san feeding you?"

About to answer, Naruto was pre-empted by Lee, who, having put two and two together, got five.

"Yosh! Naruto-kun! Your Flames of Youth have lead you to romance with the beautiful Shizune-san! Well done, my rival! I must now double my efforts to get Sakura-chan to notice me!"

The 'couple' in question stiffened, stared at each other, blushed and leaped to their feet with simultaneous shouts of "It's not like that!"

"Naruto-kun is strong enough that he tends to crush bowls and break utensils, so it's my job to help him eat until his control develops more." Shizune continued, calming down a little.

"Oh…" Tenten looked startled for a moment, then thoughtful. 'Huh. I never thought about it like that. I guess you can be too strong.'

Again a silence overtook the group, each member lost in their own thoughts (apart from Neji, who was lost in a pleasant daydream of Kitten World). Plans were made, decisions reached and (in one case) mental schematics drawn up.

Inevitably, though, the meal ended and the silence broke as Gai, having stowed his lunch supplies…somewhere…leaped to his feet.

"Yosh! Our Youthful flames have been stoked, our bodies rested and now we may train again! Rise, my youthful students!"

Re-wrapping the bento and patting back into place hair blown loose during Gai's 'youthful' yelling, Shizune stood and looked at Naruto with a smile. "Well, I'll be going now. Oh yes, Tsunade-sama wants to see you and Gai-san for a progress report after you finish up here, so don't be late, ne?"

"Ok Shizune-neechan/Yosh!"

As Shizune walked off (stared after by a slightly flushed Neji), the Great Green Beast faced Naruto, exuberant manner abruptly gone.

"Now, Naruto-kun, we will begin taijutsu training. For one to truly master a taijutsu style, one must learn and develop muscle memory and control. The more subtle the style, the less dependant it is on brute force, the more control and precision is required to utilise it. It is this requirement that makes such styles ideal for our purposes. Do you understand?"

Naruto nodded slowly, slightly apprehensive at the changed demeanour of his sensei. "Like, hitting a big target hard is pretty easy, but it's harder to hit a small target with the same force? You'd normally have to slow the strike down to make it easier to hit?"

Gai smiled approvingly. "Essentially, yes. The essential difference between soft styles, such as the Hyuuga's Juken, and hard styles, my Goken being a prime example, is in the degree of precision required. The targets for kicks, punches and the like are by necessity broad, while the tenketsu targeted in juken are very small, demanding greater precision to hit but not reliant on physical strength and thus more suited to those of a less muscular build. By teaching you a soft style, Naruto-kun, we will be training you to apply strength worthy of the Goken with the precision of the Juken".

Gai grinned at the wide-eyed expression on the face of his newest student. 'It seems he's realised the implications of that. I like this lad.'

"Now", he continued, "of all the styles I know, there are only a few suited to your needs. If you will create perhaps a dozen shadow clones I will demonstrate and explain those styles I have mastered and we will move from there. Now, let us begin!"

Although freaky and unexpected, Naruto was forced to admit that Serious Gai knew his stuff. Explaining the moves and styles used while in pitched battle with his clones (who, as they had discovered when a deflected kick left a clone embedded knee-deep in a tree, shared every jot of Naruto's new strength), Gai had eventually concluded that the 'Silent River' style best suited the blond. After dispelling the final clone in a move that resembled nothing so much as skipping a stone, he had explained that 'Silent River' mimicked the motions and attitude of flowing water, spiralling around obstacles, entrapping and slowing enemy motion and ultimately 'drowning' the opponent's ability to fight.

Hearing Gai-sensei's explanation, Naruto concluded that 'Silent River' sounded pretty cool. A soft style would have to be less tiring than the hard ones, too.

Right?

That thought lasted right until the moment training started. Gai had (somehow) rigged up a series of rope-suspended logs from the branches above and set them to swinging at Naruto as he walked below them. The goal, apparently, was to circle around the logs like a leaf in a stream and tap them as they went past, applying just enough force to give them another swing, but not so much that they orbited their branch until they ran out of rope, as had happened to the first log.

And the second.

The third log avoided this fate via the unfortunate occurrence of Naruto failing to avoid it, resulting in him being launched head over heels into Tenten, who had been conducting target practice just a little too close.

It had, he thought later on, been an interesting experience. Though clearly embarrassed and a little angry (she'd gone red in the face. That meant she was angry, right?), Tenten had not pounded him into the ground, had not called him lots of nasty names and had not, in fact, gotten mad at him at all. Sure, she'd shoved him off good and quick (he'd been afraid to push off himself for fear of hurting her), but she'd accepted his apology, helped him up, and calmly gone back to her training.

'Huh' he thought as he moved through a basic kata Gai has assigned him to practice, 'Maybe it's just Sakura and Ino who react like that. Oh, and Baachan, but she's used to Ero-sennin, after all'.

"That reminds me. I've got, ahem, a favour to ask".

Instantly wary, Naruto responded. 'What is it?'

"I want you to get me a copy of mumblemumble".

'A copy of what?'

"Mumblemumble".

'Speak up, you overgrown rug!'

"A COPY OF 'ICHA ICHA', DAMMIT!"

Naruto froze in mid-kata.

'The demon sealed within me is a pervert. It is now official. I am in hell.'

"Come on kit, just the first volume. Please? I'm bored!"

'Peh! Ero-kitsune!' Naruto mentally snorted as he started the kata once again.

"I'll make it worth your while." The growling, demonic voice made a valiant effort to sound wheedling.

'How?' Naruto cursed as he stumbled in the drifting footwork demanded of the kata and reset his stance.

"The Ramenworld dream, every night for a week?"

'No deal' replied Naruto as he clumsily attempted a spiralling palm sweep. 'I get that dream anyway.'

"The use of a tail of my chakra on demand?"

Naruto swung backwards in an evasive move (nearly falling over) and considered for a moment before responding. 'Tempting, but no deal. Just one more thing to learn to control'.

"Ok, ok. How about I teach you an art of reading people, strategy, wit and intuition?"

Naruto paused again. He was fairly sure the old fleabag was trying to pull a fast one, but that honestly sounded like a pretty useful skill to learn.

'Ok, assuming I even agree to this, where's this training going to happen? And how would I get the book to you in the first place?'

"In your mindscape while you're sleeping, kit. As for the book, make a shadow clone while you're holding it, then dispel the clone while concentrating on it coming here and voiola!"

'Hmm…Ok, deal. But this better be a really, really cool and useful skill! And if I hear so much as one perverted giggle out of you I'm coming in there with a hedge-trimmer and shaving you bald, understand?'

"Yeah yeah. Get started on that kata again gaki, the green one's coming back."

Observing the young blonde's form as he struggled with the drifting motions the style required, Gai found himself impressed. Young Naruto-kun showed an admirable work ethic, facing the tasks assigned him with a determination rare in one so young, trusting in his sensei that they would be to his benefit.

Noting that Naruto had finished the kata (in a circling step that nearly dropped him on his backside), the green-clad jounin clapped his hands for attention.

"Yosh! Naruto-kun, you have impressed me with your Youthful drive! Practice that kata five times before you retire at night and a further five upon rising in the morning and I am confident you will have it mastered within a week!"

"Naruto-kun, your Flames of Youth are an inspiration to me!" shouted Lee from where he had materialised next to Gai. "I am proud to have you as an Eternal Rival! Naruto-kun!"

"Lee-…"

"Naruto-kun!"

"Lee-!"

"Naruto-kun!"

"LEE!"

"…yes?"

Naruto gestured to Gai, who was glowering at his mini-me with an ominous twitch in one eyebrow. "I think Gai-sensei was still talking."

"…Oh. Sorry."

With a final warning glance at Lee, Gai continued, facing the two final members of the team. "Training Naruto-kun has been classified an ongoing A-Rank mission for us, so we shall meet here at 0630 hours until Naruto-kun has properly tamed his Flames of Youth. Now, Team 9, dismissed! Neji, ensure that you get lots of sleep tonight".

"…kittens…"

"Tenten, we will be needing at least a hundred more training spheres. I hope that will not be a problem."

The bun-haired girl shook her head with a smile. "No, no problem Gai-sensei. Dad said it makes a nice change from making kunai all the time."

"Your dad makes kunai?" asked Naruto, impressed.

"Yeah!" replied Tenten with a broad grin. "He's a weaponsmith, one of the best in the village. 'Higurashi Arms and Armour'. Drop by sometime, I'll give you a tour. Special 'Teammate of Tenten' discount too, if you're good."

"I-I'll definitely come by. Thanks, Tenten-chan!"

With a parting smile, Tenten swiftly collected the lumps of discarded steel into a sack and wandered off, leaving Naruto to his thoughts. 'Well, that makes some sense. All those pointy things would have cost a fortune if she'd had to buy them at the regular outfitters'.

His musings were interrupted by Gai's hand on his shoulder. Nodding at the unspoken message, the orange youth set off beside his sensei to their audience with the Hokage.

As Lee's shouting (something about 'showing his Flames of Youth to the Lovely Sakura-chan'. Now that just sounded weird) faded into the distance, Naruto again fell into introspection.

'Well, they're different and a bit odd, but I like this team.'

He smiled. 'I think I'm gonna enjoy this training.'

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Author Comments

Ok, here's the new chapter. At the moment i'm working on this and my other story, as well as fighting off the dire Writer's Block, so updates may well be a little erratic. Sorry. Not really a lot to say in Comments other than that, to be honest, so let's move on to what you've all been waiting for,

Reviews:

Coralen: Thank you. and fear not, the thought of Naruto with a beard scares me as much as you. a goatee, on the other hand...

enderverse: glad you liked it. That scene was something of a homage to the "I speak Jive" scene from 'Flying High', one of my better-liked comedies.

gaul1: At this point Naruto is getting a little gunshy of physical contact, so no hug-crushings. as for falling through floors, my reasoning was that while he is significantly heavier than before, it's not by that much. though water walking and tree climbing will be trickier. hmm. plot potential there, methinks...

Passionate-Eyes: What? surely you have heard of the Speech of Youthfulness! Yosh! if i cannot educate my readers in this Youthful and Dynamic language i shall write thirty original fanfics with my toes! (Subtitle: Yes, it's a real language. at least to Gai).

Kuro no Kitsune: thanks. i was pretty satisfied with that little piece of oddness.

kd8gun: Hahaha! I see the ways of Youth are reaching out! Yosh! Gai-sensei's manner of talking is addictive, ain't it? As for the pairings, i haven't really decided yet, though i'm tentatively working with either, as you say, Shizune or Tenten. i like the others well enough, but they don't really fit my mental concept. and worry ye not, i'm planning any courting to go at a realistic pace. Love at first Sight aside, it would strain the narrative to do otherwise. I might have Naruto do a Keitaru (Love Hina reference), but that will come later, if at all. thanks for the suggestions!

Zaion Indulias: Hey, thanks a lot! that's high praise indeed! as for the new chapter, wait no longer. i hope you like it.

Firehedgehog: Thanks. and there was just a little Kakashi-bashin, but it was literal, ne?

Well, that's it for now. Thanks to everyong who reviewed, it makes my day.

Next on Oops!: Naruto trains! and says things! and breaks some stuff! Excitement!

Stay tuned.

Smylingsnake out.